Chapter Twenty-Five

"Look who's here." Miley said forcing a smile and she scooted over to make room for Joe. "Why don't you...tell us about your day?"

"Uh..." Joe glanced at Taylor before he looked back at Miley. "You didn't tell me that you were gonna be with...other people."

"I didn't think it was relevant. And it's not. Tell me what happened with you and Demi." Miley said, desperately waiting to hear what happened between him and her best friend.

"Yes, Joe. Tell us what happened with the girl you broke up with over the phone." Taylor smiled condescendingly at Joe as she crossed her arms. "I'm sorry, I mean the girl your daddy broke up with over the phone."

Joe sat down beside Miley slowly ignoring Taylor's comment. "Um, Demi and I talked. There's really nothing much to report. She's not ready to talk to me yet so our conversation was short."

"Was it?" Miley looked over at Selena as they exchanged glances. "That's all?" She asked looking back at Joe. "What was the last thing Demi said?"

"Uh," Joe looked up in the air trying to recall what Demi had said. "'I don't know if you being here is good for me right now. We'll talk, Joe. Just not now. It's too soon. Please just go.' And then I told her to call me when she was ready."

Taylor suddenly giggled out of nowhere. She looked apologetically at all of them as they looked at her except for her boyfriend who was smiling. "Sorry." Then she glared over at the other Taylor.

"Did she look okay?" Selena asked as they turned back to Joe.

"Honestly...yes. She looked amazing." Joe said and looked down at his hands with a small sideways smile on his face.

Selena's mouth dropped open slightly in surprise as she looked at Miley. "God. He's in love with her."

Miley laughed. "Oh come on! Joe Jonas falling in love? No way Selena!" She joked sarcastically.

Nick smiled and laid his hand on top of Miley's.

"Sarcasm isn't cute." Selena said.

"But it is on me. I'm cute always." Miley said.

"So true." Nick threw in.

"See?"

"Nick is totally blinded by-"

"What is going on here?"

Everybody looked over at Joe as he spoke.

"I knew about Nick and Miley but what are Selena and Miley doing together at one table and is David's hand on Selena's thigh?"

"Miley called it growing up." Taylor said. "Do any of that lately, Joe?"

"Yeah, Taylor. Have you?" Joe shot back as he squinted his eyes down at her in a glare.

"Guess what, guys?" Miley said trying to change the subject. "Did you see Nick's haircut?" She asked and pushed her fingers through his only now tiny curls. "I did it myself."

"Yes." Nick said. "My hair is all gone because of you, Selena."

"What? Why me?" Selena asked.

"She didn't have anyone else to do any beauty tips on so guess what...? I'm stuck with no hair and-"

"And a beautiful girlfriend." Miley interrupted.

Nick smiled. "There's that."

"We have to go guys." David said looking at his wristwatch and grabbing Selena's hand. "We have to be on set by 2 p.m."

"Me, too." Taylor said. "Music video set." She explained. She glared pointedly at Joe before turning her gaze to Miley. "We should do this again sometime."

Miley nodded. "Sure."

Miley and Nick were walking Joe back to his car as they left the restaurant. "So, you're doing a new album?" Miley said.

Joe turned to her as reached his car. "Are we really gonna do this?"

Nick leaned back on Joe's car and watched the two converse with a smile.

"This what?"

"This friend thing?"

Miley shrugged. "I don't know."

"You know, to do this friend thing you're gonna have to stop throwing digs at me."

Miley hissed through her teeth and shook her head. "I think I'll pass."

Nick and Joe laughed.

Miley put her hand out her hand to Joe as she smiled.

He took it and shook it then looked at Nick. "This girlfriend that you have here is something else."

"Something amazing." Nick countered as he stood up straight and took Miley's hand in his.

Miley fell backward onto her bed. "I'm exhausted."

Nick laid down beside her facing her, hovering over her. "I can't believe you leaving in less thank two weeks."

"But I'm here now." Miley said smiling up at him. She didn't want to go now. She wanted to stay here with Nick. She intertwined her fingers with his. "You want to bother room service for some powdered donuts and watch No Strings Attached?"

Nick grinned. "Do sea turtle eggs get eaten by raccoons?"

Miley laughed as Nick leaned down and planted a kiss on her lips.

Demi hand brushed the phone as she once again found herself questioning whether she should call him. No matter how much she could say no in person...she still missed him...so much. She picked up the phone and put it to her ear before punching in the number that she knew by heart and waited. She just wanted to hear his voice for a little bit.

Joe picked up his phone when he saw it ringing on his car seat beside him. He checked the number and shrugged when he saw his screen read, 'private.' He flipped the lock screen and answered it. "Hello?" There was silence for about five seconds before Joe asked again. "Helloo?" He heard the click of the other line hang up on him and he took the phone down from his ear looking confused.